Secret Song
by MidnightRavenFromTheClock
Summary: Miguel returns home and Héctor fades, lost between then and now.


The world is a dream, twisting and changing until all there's left is a shard of a memory, edges far too rough to be put back together.

 _But Imelda is there, a frown on her face as she cradles Coco close._

" _How long?"_

" _You know I can't tell you that." Héctor steps closer, caresses her arm. "This tour can be the thing, we'll finally be known! Ernesto says if-"_

" _Ernesto doesn't have a family to leave behind."_

 _Héctor freezes. "I'm not leaving anyone behind. You have to know that's not what this is." He searches Imelda's eyes. "Right?" What beautiful eyes they are, he could get lost in them. In fact, he does._

 _The beautiful woman sighs, forces a smile. "I know, Héctor. I just hate this."_

 _Hate what? What is he doing?_

" _Come back soon, this family needs you here." He's leaving? He doesn't want to go. The woman in his arms is everything that's good and right, and the little girl is the loveliest thing he's ever seen._

"Héc-"

 _Héctor shakes his head, trying to clear the jumbled thoughts._ "I'll write as soon as we reach the next town."

"Héctor!"

The night changes into blinding light of the dawn and for a moment Héctor is blinded by it. He tries looking around, but his head is too heavy and the gravity pulls him back down. Down? Why is he on the ground?

"Héctor, I'm sorry. I made a mistake." Oh, the beautiful woman is still here, kneeling by his side. That's good, it makes something inside Héctor ease.

"Ernesto's waiting for me." Héctor mumbles.

The woman lets out a terrible sound, it almost sounds like a sob. It startles Héctor enough that he finds the strength to search for her eyes, and finds them shining with tears.

"I know. It's okay."

The hands on his face are warm, it makes Héctor aware of just how cold _he_ is, but when he shivers it's violent and it shakes him to the very core and when it's over it's like he lost another piece of himself.

 _Héctor blinks and he's leaning over a crib, staring down at a baby girl._

" _Is she sleeping?" Beautiful woman asks from behind._

 _He shakes his head. "She just won't settle down tonight."_

 _The woman curses under her breath softly. "I'll get the teddy."_

" _Wait, I have a better idea." Héctor reaches for his guitar. Which song? He searches inside himself, goes through the stuff he's written. But when his fingers start dancing along the neck of the instrument the tune is soft and new, and yet it feels like coming home. The baby giggles._

Héctor blinks and the woman is clenching his vest, her mouth forming words he's far too gone to comprehend.

Héctor smiles. "You're beautiful."

The woman cries out as if struck. Héctor wishes she would just smile. She has a pretty smile.

"You fool." She whispers hoarsely. "I hate you."

"Okay." He breathes.

 _The little girl is clinging to his arms,_ papá _, she laughs. But she's slipping and slipping, right through Héctor's fingers. As the last bits that connect them slip through his grasp, Héctor finally, finally realizes. He can't make her stay._

"Please, don't go." The nameless woman begs.

 _Lo siento_ , he wants to say, _no puedo._

 _She's_ gone.

"Coco." He whispers instead, closes his eyes as gold obscures his vision.

Silence

Nothing

Darkness

 _-remember me, each time you hear a sad guitar…_

Music?

Héctor gasps, the action sending him into a coughing fit.

 _Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be,_

When Héctor blinks, the world is a dream, a swirl of colors and faces and sound, but then there's the music, grounding and guiding him back. The little girl is in his arms once again, but this time her face is bright and hopeful and her tiny hands are clenching at Héctor firmly.

 _Until you're in my arms again,_

She smiles. 'Papá, you came back.'

 _Remember… me._

Héctor groans and forces his eyes open. An anxious, tear stained face swims into view. "Imelda?"

There's a moment of silence, then all of a sudden, he's being pulled into a hug. Héctor tentatively wraps his arms around Imelda's shoulders. He looks around and is greeted with hopeful expressions on the rest of his new found family's faces.

He's… still here.

Héctor tightens his grip. "I'm here. I'm okay."

Suddenly, Imelda shoves him away and slaps his chest. "Okay? You scared me half to death!"

Héctor rubs at the spot with a wince. "I know."

"I- I…" Imelda waves her arms around, as if physically searching for the words.

Héctor grins. "I know. It's okay."

One of the other family members, Héctor thinks his name might be Julio, takes a careful step closer. "Miguel did it then?"

Héctor pauses and does a quick inventory. He's still disoriented and slightly nauseas, but he also feels more alive than he has in ages. A vague memory of a voice that's both familiar and not singing his song comes to mind. A grin breaks out across Héctor's face.

"He did." He laughs. "He actually did."

Imelda glares, but it's missing the bite he's used to seeing from those eyes. "Alright, I've had enough of this. Let's go home." She stands up and brushes invisible dust from her skirt. She stares at Héctor, still kneeling on the floor. Her eyes soften. "Well? We don't need to carry you, do we?"

Héctor blinks with surprise. He looks around the family. Behind Imelda, Julio nods with a smile and Héctor finally stands up and follows his family home.

It's much later, once the rest of the family has finished questioning Héctor about his adventure with Miguel, among other things, and the hype dissolves that Imelda pulls Héctor to the side.

"You're really okay?" She asks tightly.

"I knew you cared." He grins, only to be smacked in the chest again.

"Would you stop that?"

"If Coco is still forgetting you-" Imelda looks away, her face set in a hard frown.

"Hey," Héctor steps closer hesitantly. "I don't know what Miguel did, but I feel her now, and so much more. It's like…" He searches for the right words. "Like I'm connected to the world again, in a way I hadn't been for years. I'm not gonna disappear again, okay?" He holds Imelda's piercing gaze.

"Okay." Imelda whispers, before raising her voice. "Because if you do, I'm going to send you to the final death myself!" She walks away quickly, leaving a grinning Héctor staring after her.

He is finally home.


End file.
